While gardens and yards are lovely for relaxing, they can also prove dangerous
for our animal companions.

Our experts recommend you watch out for the following:

Poisonous Plants When designing and planting your green space, it's a good idea to keep in
mind that many popular outdoor plants—including sago palm, rhododendron and
azalea—are toxic to cats and dogs. Sago
palm and other members of the Cycad family as well as mushrooms can cause
liver failure, while rhododendron, azalea, lily of the valley, oleander,
rosebay, foxglove and kalanchoe all affect the heart. Please visit our full list—and
pics!—of toxic and non-toxic plants for your garden.

Fertilizer
Just like you, plants need food. But pet parents, take care—the fertilizer
that keeps our plants healthy and green can wreak havoc on the digestive tracts
of our furry friends. Ingesting large amounts of fertilizer can give your pet a
good case of stomach upset and may result in life-threatening gastrointestinal
obstruction. Be sure to follow instructions carefully and observe the
appropriate waiting period before letting your pet run wild outside.

Cocoa Mulch Many gardeners use cocoa bean shells—a by-product of chocolate
production—in landscaping. Popular for its attractive odor and color, cocoa
mulch also attracts dogs with its sweet smell, and like chocolate, it can
pose problems for our canine companions. Depending on the amount involved,
ingestion of cocoa mulch can cause a range of clinical signs, from vomiting,
diarrhea and muscle tremors to elevated heart rate, hyperactivity and even
seizures. Consider using a less-toxic
alternative, such as shredded pine, cedar or hemlock bark, but always
supervise curious canines in yards where mulch is spread.

Insecticides Like fertilizer, herbicides, insecticide baits, sprays and granules are
often necessary to keep our gardens healthy, but their ingredients aren't meant
for four-legged consumption. The most dangerous forms of pesticides include
snail bait with metaldehyde, fly bait with methomyl, systemic insecticides with
the ingredients disyston or disulfoton, mole or gopher bait with zinc phosphide
and most forms of rat poisons. Always store pesticides in inaccessible
areas—and read the manufacturer's label carefully for proper usage and
storage.

Compost
You're doing the right thing for your garden and Mother Earth—you're
composting! Food and garden waste make excellent additions to garden soil, but
depending on what you're tossing in the compost bin, they can also pose
problems for our pets. Coffee, moldy food and certain types of fruit and
vegetables are toxic to dogs and cats, so read up on people
foods to avoid feeding your pet.

Fleas and Ticks Since fleas and ticks lurk in tall brush and grasses, it's important to
keep those lawns mowed and trim. Fleas can
cause excessive scratching, hair loss, scabs, hot spots and tapeworms as well
as anemia from blood loss in both cats and dogs. Ticks
can cause similar effects and lead to a variety of complications from
tick-borne diseases such as Lyme disease, Rocky Mountain spotted fever and
Babesia.

Garden Tools Unattended garden tools may seem like no big deal, but rakes, tillers, hoes
and trowels can be hazardous to pets and cause trauma to paws, noses or other
parts of a curious pet's body. Rusty, sharp tools caked in dirt may also pose a
risk for tetanus if they puncture skin. While cats don't appear to be as
susceptible as dogs to tetanus, care should be taken by storing all unused
tools in a safe area, not haphazardly strewn on the ground.

Allergy-Causing Flora
Ah-choo! Like their sneezy human counterparts, pets have allergies to foods,
dust and even plants. Allergic reactions in dogs
and cats
can even cause life-threatening anaphylactic shock if the reaction is severe. If
you do suspect your pet has an allergy, please don't give him any medication
that isn't prescribed by a veterinarian. It's also smart to keep
your pet out of other people's yards, especially if you're unsure of what
kinds of plants or flowers lurk there. Keeping your pet off the lawn of others
will make for healthy pets and happy neighbors.